certainly perfect partner at the united nations for four years in diligent, excellent, astute, thoughtful, and patriotic service has been susan e. rice, a daughter of washington, d.c., and parents who loved america. a graduate of stanford university where, of course, she earned department honors and university distinction. became a harry s. truman scholar, phi beta kappa, and rhodes scholarship. certainly a beginning that did not warrant the kind of personal attacks that we have seen. i think we should leave politics and campaigns and won or lost races to november 6, 2012. for you cannot debate a political and presidential campaign around a patriotic public servant. if there is a nomination for ambassador rice, the senate has every right to advise and consent and the votes need to be taken on up and down. i can assure you that if she is nominated by the president, she will serve this nation well. as she has done in the past. i know her well as the assistant secretary for african affairs under the clinton administration. dealing with very difficult issues involving african countries such a